Council Approves Windsor Art Center Expansion

WINDSOR — — Can you picture a town center with a vibrant arts community featuring rolling exhibits, artists studios and classes for children and adults?

The Windsor Art Center - which has already succeeded on the first part - can, and the town council is in agreement.

The town council Monday unanimously approved a proposal by the center to expand its operation into the vacant train station space just over the tracks from its current location in the freight house, where it has been since 2008.

The proposal calls for turning the space into artist studios and class space with the goal of bringing more residents and visitors to the center of town.

Wayne Dombowski, president of the art center's board of directors, said Tuesday people within the organization had been discussing expansion into the long-empty train station for some time. And once they received a $150,000 grant for improvements from the state's arts foundation, they brought the proposal to town staff.

"The art center has been a great success and this ties in perfectly with that," Dombowski said.

The deal, which Dombowski expects to sign sometime this week, calls for a five year lease with the town and monthly rent of $1,200, with 2 percent increases each year. The center will be responsible for the cost of utilities and interior maintenance. The town, which has a long-term lease on the building with Amtrak and the Greater Hartford Transit District, will maintain the exterior.

Dombowski said that there is some minor repair work to be done, but added that he was hopeful of being ready to open within six weeks.

"If we can cover our costs that would be terrific," he said. "The art center has been able to cover its costs over the last five years, which is amazing."

Mayor Donald Trinks said Tuesday that increasing pedestrial traffic in the center of town is one of the council's top goals and that the art center proposal fits well with it.

"I like the idea" Trinks said. "I'd like to find even more destinations in the center of town."